Other People's Things: A Novel

In a Nutshell: If you enjoy books with a bit of magical realism and some really memorable, albeit flawed characters, this is the book for you!

Story:

Nicole is a self-proclaimed “jailbird, nutcase, and spectacular failure.” Reason? Society considers her a kleptomaniac, constantly on the lookout for things to steal. But Nicole doesn’t “steal”. She “relocates” objects based on the energy vibes she gets from them. Needless to say, this “Object Relocation Program” of hers gets her in severe trouble with family, friends and the law. Nicole, however, has stuck to her gut feeling all these years. But with her latest relocation, something drastic seems to have altered in her life and the consequences seem to spiral out of

show more

control. Add to this the fact that her soon-to-be-ex-husband Kent has assigned a private investigator named Hawk to retrieve what she had “relocated” from him. Will Nicole be able to handle this the change in her circumstances? Will she finally be able to figure out whether her urge to move objects is a gift or a curse?
The story comes from the first person point of view of Nicole, Hawk, and a local resident Andrea, who is a recipient of Nicole’s latest relocation activity.

Where the story worked for me:
• The lead characters are AWESOME! In fact, none of the main characters are straightforward except for one somewhat-predictable fellow (charmer outside, snake inside.) Nicole is not a black or white character, but she isn’t even a typical grey. Her moral compass works on a very different level and you initially struggle to accept her justifications for stealing as “relocations”. But soon, you begin questioning your own preconceptions and wonder if there’s really some truth to her words. Andrea’s character is grey in a more typical sense. She is a pharmacist running from her past and her social anxiety is so extreme that she uses her training to mix and match medications. The way her mental health crumbles after Nicole’s latest endeavour is really well-written. That leaves us with Hawk. Sigh! Let me just say: if you are looking for a potential new literary crush (male), say a warm hello to Hawk. He’s your dream man: strong, protective, funny, caring, rushes to rescue women in trouble while still giving them their own space, and a GEEK. (Chick-lit writers take note: Wealth and looks aren’t part of my requirements.)

• The plot is based in Spokane and it uses this location so wonderfully. An apt setting for the story!

• I loved the overall story. It is so different compared to the usual magical realism plotlines. It’s more of reality with just a sprinkling of subtle fantastical parts. I especially loved these magical bits, even though they aren’t a dominant part of the narrative. The way Nicole could “feel” the energy of objects and couldn’t rest until she completed her “relocation” was quite innovative to read.

• Though the plot doesn't directly lend itself to other themes, the author still wove in marital abuse and family pressures seamlessly in the storyline. I loved how this flowed naturally through the story rather than seeming like forced add-ons.

• Extra points for being a very quick read in spite of being 350+ pages. I could not put this book down even after the story changed tracks towards the last quarter and traversed down the more clichéd route.

Where the story could have been better for me:
• The turnaround in the reactions of SOME of Nicole’s family members was too abrupt. While I did empathise with them -- (would you believe it if a family member stole things and called it “relocation”?) -- I wish the change in their opinion was also portrayed as realistically. I could also not see how so many intelligent people were being fooled by that secretive-snake character.

• The last quarter of the book goes very, very predictably. This should actually not be a major problem because this genre is meant to be predictable. But my expectations were so high because of the stupendous first half that the finale fell flat in comparison. Everything fitted in too conveniently to bring about the neatly-tied-with-big-sparkly-bows resolution.

There are many factors that make a book memorable: plot, writing and characters. In this book, the lead characters were brilliant and the writing was very good. The plot was outstanding in the first three-fourths. All this leads me to my 4.25 stars. (If the last 25% were as good as the rest of the book, I would have gone to 4.5 stars.) It is a beautiful book with mild Ruth Hogan vibes. Go for it if you want a little bit of magic within a realistic setting. I really enjoyed this book and found it as appealing as its cover.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less

In a Nutshell: If you enjoy books with a bit of magical realism and some really memorable, albeit flawed characters, this is the book for you!

Story:

Nicole is a self-proclaimed “jailbird, nutcase, and spectacular failure.” Reason? Society considers her a kleptomaniac, constantly on the lookout for things to steal. But Nicole doesn’t “steal”. She “relocates” objects based on the energy vibes she gets from them. Needless to say, this “Object Relocation Program” of hers gets her in severe trouble with family, friends and the law. Nicole, however, has stuck to her gut feeling all these years. But with her latest relocation, something drastic seems to have altered in her life and the consequences seem to spiral out of

show more

control. Add to this the fact that her soon-to-be-ex-husband Kent has assigned a private investigator named Hawk to retrieve what she had “relocated” from him. Will Nicole be able to handle this the change in her circumstances? Will she finally be able to figure out whether her urge to move objects is a gift or a curse?
The story comes from the first person point of view of Nicole, Hawk, and a local resident Andrea, who is a recipient of Nicole’s latest relocation activity.

Where the story worked for me:
• The lead characters are AWESOME! In fact, none of the main characters are straightforward except for one somewhat-predictable fellow (charmer outside, snake inside.) Nicole is not a black or white character, but she isn’t even a typical grey. Her moral compass works on a very different level and you initially struggle to accept her justifications for stealing as “relocations”. But soon, you begin questioning your own preconceptions and wonder if there’s really some truth to her words. Andrea’s character is grey in a more typical sense. She is a pharmacist running from her past and her social anxiety is so extreme that she uses her training to mix and match medications. The way her mental health crumbles after Nicole’s latest endeavour is really well-written. That leaves us with Hawk. Sigh! Let me just say: if you are looking for a potential new literary crush (male), say a warm hello to Hawk. He’s your dream man: strong, protective, funny, caring, rushes to rescue women in trouble while still giving them their own space, and a GEEK. (Chick-lit writers take note: Wealth and looks aren’t part of my requirements.)

• The plot is based in Spokane and it uses this location so wonderfully. An apt setting for the story!

• I loved the overall story. It is so different compared to the usual magical realism plotlines. It’s more of reality with just a sprinkling of subtle fantastical parts. I especially loved these magical bits, even though they aren’t a dominant part of the narrative. The way Nicole could “feel” the energy of objects and couldn’t rest until she completed her “relocation” was quite innovative to read.

• Though the plot doesn't directly lend itself to other themes, the author still wove in marital abuse and family pressures seamlessly in the storyline. I loved how this flowed naturally through the story rather than seeming like forced add-ons.

• Extra points for being a very quick read in spite of being 350 pages. I could not put this book down even after the story changed tracks towards the last quarter and traversed down the more clichéd route.

Where the story could have been better for me:
• The turnaround in the reactions of SOME of Nicole’s family members was too abrupt. While I did empathise with them -- (would you believe it if a family member stole things and called it “relocation”?) -- I wish the change in their opinion was also portrayed as realistically. I could also not see how so many intelligent people were being fooled by that secretive-snake character.

• The last quarter of the book goes very, very predictably. This should actually not be a major problem because this genre is meant to be predictable. But my expectations were so high because of the stupendous first half that the finale fell flat in comparison. Everything fitted in too conveniently to bring about the neatly-tied-with-big-sparkly-bows resolution.

There are many factors that make a book memorable: plot, writing and characters. In this book, the lead characters were brilliant and the writing was very good. The plot was outstanding in the first three-fourths. All this leads me to my 4.25 stars. (If the last 25% were as good as the rest of the book, I would have gone to 4.5 stars.) It is a beautiful book with mild Ruth Hogan vibes. Go for it if you want a little bit of magic within a realistic setting. I really enjoyed this book and found it as appealing as its cover.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less

New Wrinkle On Oft-Derided Issue. I don't suffer from kleptomania myself, but as someone who is Autistic and is interested in unique takes on various issues society deems "mental disorders", I always appreciate books that can take a topic that is often derided and make it much more "human" and much less "other". Here, King does just this, and she does it in a whimsical manner that has its share of tragedy as well. An excellent book that rarely takes the "conventional" route, and yet tells the story of how one person's "mental disorder" can actually work to be a very positive thing when the person learns to truly harness her power.. Very much recommended.

Rating: 2.666

I stumbled across this while browsing the new fiction shelf of at the library, unaware of its popularity. That said, its hard not to reflect on another highly rated book, [b:We Are the Brennans|55169040|We Are the Brennans|Tracey Lange|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628802754l/55169040._SY75_.jpg|82555352] due to both of them being melodramatic and dull. During the heyday of TV, these are referred to as Soap Operas.

We first meet Nicole, a young woman recently separated from Kent, a manipulative, slime ball lawyer. "Nickle" is viewed by him and her family as a kleptomaniac due several misdemeanor thefts that sent her to jail several times. However, she's unlike typical shoplifters show more since she doesn't lift items for profit. Instead, her targets are the sort that need to be relocated for one purpose or another and she feels its her duty to oblige.

With a prison record, her sister Roberta hires her to help clean houses and when working at one of the clients, Nickle is called by a ragged copy of Dantes Inferno and pockets it. When they travel to a new client, she deposits the book there without her sister's knowledge. When Andrea, a high strung affluent pharmacist discovers it, things become unhinged. We then learn Nicole 'relocated' $20K in cash from Kent and it 'found its way' to a woman in need while at the Goodwill store.

Angered about the missing money, Kent hires Hawk, a private investigator to keep tabs on Nicole. And that's when the story gets soapy. As the plot drags along, soap bubbles rise and soon the melodrama becomes overwhelming.

Put simply, this is about as predictable as they come with the minor exception of the relocation element. Characters are flat, plot tries to be unique, but fails due to predictable romance, drug overdoses and a ridiculous court scene I saw coming half way through.

I realize I may be in the minority since sappy romance stories fail to engage my tastes. But for those that enjoy them, this could be right up your alley! As with all art, we're each drawn to something different, and the Rolling Stones would call this 'brown shoes'.

"..and that's all I'm going to say about that..." ~ Forrest Gump show less

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5.

Nicole is called a thief, kleptomaniac. She prefers relocator. She doesn’t take things for her benefit, she gets energy from objects that need to move to its correct place. She’s been in jail, but was hoping her life had fallen into place with her new husband only to be sadly disappointed.

Just the type of domestic suspense I needed! This book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down! A unique and thought provoking storyline. Loved Nicole, and my heart went out to her. She is flawed and lovable, takes full accountability for her issues. She just couldn’t find anyone to believe her, but understandably so! Perception of others working against her. Storyline progressed at a quick pace, show more never found myself bored or waiting for the story to pick up. Great characters and development. Ending did feel a little rushed with the relationship of Nicole and Hawk. I have read this author before and look forward to doing so again.

Thanks to Ms. King, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone. show less

I have to admit that this book had some good twists in it. I was going into it thinking one way and then it flips and I am like "what just happened". From that point I was really hooked.

The way that Nicole dealt with her kleptomania was interesting. She did not steal items for the sake of keeping them but she took the items and "relocated" them. The reason Nicole relocated the items is because they do not belong in the original destination. So when Nicole relocates her latest item at a client's house, it sets off a chain of events that Nicole can not stop.

This was a very fast read for me. I read it in two days. The first half of the story was good but the second half was a bit better. This is where the twist happened at the half way show more point and the intensity went up as well. I will be checking out more books by this author. Other People's Things by Kerry Anne King is not to be missed. show less

Nicole has just gotten out of jail and moved back into her family home. She was in jail for robbery. Yes, she touches the items that she is accused of stealing but she doesn't really steal them -- she relocates them. The items talk to her and tell her that they want to be somewhere else - so she takes them from one place and puts the items where they tell her they want to go. Unfortunately, her reasons don't get accepted by the police or her family and she's sent to jail. Yes, Nicole is a flawed character and seems a bit unbalanced at times but she's lovable despite her quirks or maybe because of her quirks. Out of jail, with her marriage on the rocks and a jail sentence being threatened for stealing money from her husband, she appears show more to have reached rock bottom but her determination and cheery attitude just keep her moving along.

After she promises her sister that she's won't move any other objects, her sister hires her to help clean houses. She uses the mantra 'Better than jail' over and over to keep her from relocating any objects...until a book talks to her at one house and she just has to take it. She relocates it to another house and when the owner of the house finds it, the walls she has set up around her begin to crumble and things change for her and for Nicole. With Nicole out of a job, her family all agrees that she should go back to her wonderful and rich husband who is begging her to come home. She fell for his smooth manner before but now that she knows what he's really like, she has no intention of going back to him so he threatens to have her arrested for the $20,000 that she relocated from his office and he wants it back. With the family drama continuing, throw in a private investigator, an unhinged pharmacist, a psychiatrist and a best friend and this book is full of delightful twists and turns. Despite all that's going on, Nicole stays upbeat and happy with her life.

I've never read a character like Nicole. She could make you laugh and make you cry. At times the whole world seemed to be against her but she stayed upbeat and happy with life. The book has lots of characters but Nicole is the one who shines the brightest.

This is a book about family and love and forgiveness with a bit of danger and treachery mixed in. It's a fun book to read and Nicole is really a great character to know. She's a character that will stay with me long after the last page of the book.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review. show less